Delinquent Cartoon Wiener Wins Battle for a Sign

By

Patrick G. Lee

Jun 6, 2011 3:57 pm ET

The logo for a Chicago food stand, “Felony Franks,” features a friendly-looking hot dog with a nice smile and big, innocent eyes. But for the past 2 ½ years, the cartoon wiener — which is portrayed in black-and-white striped prison garb along with a ball and chain — has been at the center of a First Amendment dispute over whether the sign is fit for display on the streets of Chicago.

Alderman Bob Fioretti led the charge in stalling owner Jim Andrews’ sign permit application on the grounds that the prison-oriented signage would project a “bad message” to local students by “glorifying criminal conduct,” the Chicago Sun-Times reported last week.

Jim Andrews, the owner of the stand that bills itself as the “home of the misdemeanor wiener”, filed a suit claiming his First Amendment rights had been violated and seeking almost $300,000 in damages. (Going along with the business’s theme, Andrews hires ex-offenders to staff the hot dog operation.)

Well, it looks like Felony Frank, the cartoon logo that is, is about to escape his legal hot dog bun. (Okay, we realize the metaphor makes no sense.)